The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 213

On the day of Judith's birthday party, Lavinia arrived bright and early.

The patriarch of the Marina Island branch of the Gilmore family couldn't make it due to his advanced age, so he sent Julian to attend the celebration on his behalf.

When Lavinia walked in, Nestor, Zenia, Garnett, and Julian were already gathered around Judith, keeping her company.

The moment Judith saw Lavinia, she stood up excitedly, walking over to pull Lavinia to her side. Patting her hand, she asked, "Lavinia, what kind of gift did you prepare for me this year? Yours is the one I look forward to the most."

Smiling, Lavinia pulled a beautifully crafted little cloth pouch from her bag.

Opening the pouch, she revealed a string of eighteen agarwood meditation beads.

"Happy birthday, Judith. I hope you like it," Lavinia offered it with both hands.

It was just dark, unremarkable-looking wood. To the untrained eye, the bracelet seemed completely ordinary.

Garnett's face darkened. A few days ago, he had asked Lavinia if she needed him to provide some funds to pick out a respectable gift.

She had said no.

And yet, what she brought today was a string of wooden beads that looked like cheap flea market junk.

Nestor let out a cold laugh. "Lavinia, it's her milestone birthday, and this is what you give her? Which street corner did you pick this up from?"

Lavinia just smiled, completely unbothered, and looked at Judith. "It's agarwood. Smell it—it has a naturally calming effect."

Judith brought the bracelet to her nose, took a deep breath, and beamed. "My granddaughter-in-law truly loves me the most."

Garnett figured that since Lavinia no longer had his financial backing, it must have been tough for her to buy a gift using her own meager salary.

He forced a smile. "The gift may be modest, but it's the thought that counts. I'll make sure to get you something much more substantial on Lavinia's behalf later."

Lavinia knew that the Harper family looked down on her, and by extension, they looked down on whatever she gave Judith.

She just kept a soft smile on her face and remained silent.

"Could I take a look at those agarwood beads?" Julian asked with a smile.

Laughing, Julian handed the bracelet back.

Garnett stared at Lavinia, a complex array of emotions swimming in his eyes. "Lavinia, where did you find something so impossibly rare?"

Lavinia offered a faint smile. "Must have just been fate. I bought it at a roadside market."

Didn't they just say she bought flea market junk? She might as well own it.

The expressions on Nestor and Garnett's faces instantly turned incredibly sour.

Julian chuckled, smoothing things over. "Garnett, there's a rule with treasures this rare. You can't reveal where they came from, or they lose their magic."

Garnett forced a tight smile, saying nothing.

Zenia, watching from the sidelines, saw how humiliated her husband and stepson were and decided it was her time to shine.

She smiled brightly. "Mom, my nieces heard it was your birthday today, and they brought gifts to celebrate with you."